The Chief Executive, Mr Sam Hou Fai, today chaired a meeting on precautionary measures relating to winter conditions, and put forward four requirements in relation to inspection and rectification work regarding major risk to public safety.

The meeting was held to promote the implementation – by officials at all levels of the Macao Special Administrative Region (MSAR) Government – of President Xi Jinping’s relevant important directives. The meeting was also to coordinate comprehensive arrangements, in relation to Macao’s particular circumstances, for the prevention of major risks to safety or their mitigation, as well as to carry out systematic inspections and, where needed, rectification work.

During the meeting at Government Headquarters, Mr Sam stressed the MSAR Government must step up – via education of the public – awareness of the need to avoid risk, prevent fires, and, if necessary, mitigate disasters. This was to ensure the entire community remains vigilant in jointly safeguarding Macao’s fire safety defences.

Mr Sam stated at the meeting that as winter sets in, public departments have continued conducting inspection and rectification work, targeting major safety risks across various premises throughout Macao. Mr Sam said that – noting President Xi’s deep concern over the serious fire that broke out on Wednesday (27 November) in Tai Po, in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region – Macao must fully implement President Xi’s important instructions, by intensifying risk inspection, fire prevention, and disaster mitigation efforts, and do everything possible to ensure public safety.

On Wednesday evening, Mr Sam had already issued instructions for cross-departmental cooperation, under which the Fire Services Bureau, the Land and Urban Construction Bureau, and the Municipal Affairs Bureau started on Thursday morning to make joint inspections on all scaffolding projects across Macao.

Macao is densely populated, and with numerous holidays approaching over the coming months, Government departments must act according to actual conditions, properly planning and executing inspection and rectification work in relation to major safety risks.

The four requirements laid out by the Chief Executive were:

First, intensify fire safety inspection and rectification efforts at large supermarkets, entertainment venues, cultural and sports facilities, tourist attractions, old urban residential buildings, and areas with concentrated storage of gas and hazardous chemicals. Particular attention should be paid to fire hazards prevalent during autumn and winter, with targeted inspections of existing scaffolding and construction sites, and of new ones as they arise. Greater effort must also be made on forest fire prevention, aiming to eliminate vulnerabilities at the source, control risks in their infancy, and eradicate hazards, before disasters occur.

Second, there should be enhancement of public education and awareness campaigns on fire safety, disaster prevention and mitigation, and evacuation procedures, in order to strengthen the community’s overall awareness of safety and risk avoidance.

Third, there should be an increase in patrol and monitoring activities at crowded public places such as transportation hubs, border checkpoints, and tourist sites, against the risk of violent terrorist incidents, extreme acts by individuals, and other serious criminal activity, as well as mass-casualty accidents.

Fourth, there should be further improvement of emergency response mechanisms and contingency plans for major public emergencies, natural disasters, and cybersecurity incidents. The Civil Protection Operations Centre must fully leverage its coordinating role, to ensure overall community security and to enhance the city’s public safety capabilities.

The meeting was attended by: the President of the Legislative Assembly, Mr Cheong Weng Chon; the President of the Court of Final Appeal, Ms Song Man Lei; the Secretary for Administration and Justice, Mr Wong Sio Chak; the Secretary for Security, Mr Chan Tsz King; the Secretary for Social Affairs and Culture, Ms O Lam; the Secretary for Transport and Public Works, Mr Tam Vai Man; the Prosecutor-General, Mr Tong Hio Fong; the Commissioner Against Corruption, Ms Ao Ieong Seong; the Commissioner of Audit, Ms Ao Ieong U; the Commissioner-General of the Unitary Police Service, Mr Leong Man Cheong; the Director-General of the Macao Customs Service, Mr Adriano Marques Ho; and the Chief-of-Office of the Chief Executive’s Office, Ms Chan Kak.

During the meeting, the President of the Court of Final Appeal, Ms Song; the Secretaries present; the Commissioner-General of the Unitary Police Service, Mr Leong; and the Commissioner of the Fire Services Bureau, Mr Wong Kin, delivered reports on relevant laws and regulations, civil protection emergency response mechanisms, and fire safety inspections.